


The Greatest King

by reyneofcastamere (reyneofcastemere)



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-03
Updated: 2013-05-03
Packaged: 2017-12-10 07:57:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/783661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reyneofcastemere/pseuds/reyneofcastamere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Red Keep lies still, waiting for the dragons return. The man who brought them down lies in wait, knowing his death must come.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Greatest King

Jaime sat in his golden armour gazing at the crown in his hands. He had returned to Kingslanding just as word had reached the capital of the impending Targaryen invasion and Myrcella’s execution on the order of the Princess Arianne to please her new husband Prince Aegon. The Tyrell’s had fled when they had heard abandoning Kings Landing to Cersei’s insanity.  
Jaime found her in her chambers stroking Tommen's golden hair, Brienne stood in the door way, horrified at the sight of the nine year old's blackened face, the poison vial just next to his head. Having nearly died at the undead hands of Catelyn Stark, Tommen was eerily reminiscent of another boy who had died far too young.  
"Jaime!" Cersei turned to him, he gazed at his youngest sons body and back to Cersei. She was calm, her deranged eyes ignoring Brienne focusing entirely on her twin.  
"Jaime" she said, "It was a mercy, they killed my sweet Myrcella. Tyrion is with the dragon bitch, it's his fault, he killed our children!"  
He stroked her hair, "We have each other" he said, "We exit this world as we entered it, together." She smiled at him and gestured towards his sword. Jaime smiled and gestured to Brienne to leave the room. He did not withdraw his sword instead he placed both hands around his sisters beautiful neck and used both metal and flesh to squeeze the life out of his sister. She panicked and tried to fight him off but finally she stopped struggling. He removed his hands to see the necklace of bruises and then walked stiffly out of the room to Brienne. She kissed him, and he ran his flesh hand along her hideously scarred cheek and then lowered it to the small bump that had begun to emerge from her armour. He gazed into her beautiful blue eyes, they really are staggering, he thought, even after all this time.  
"Brienne," he said softly, "I'm going to die and I don't want you dying along side me. Please, return to Tarth and live. You have done nothing that the Targaryen's can punish you for and selfish though this might seem, I would prefer one of my children to survive." She punched him hard in the shoulder and then resumed kissing him with the same ferocity she put into sword fighting.  
"My wench" he said fondly and then watched her leave him.  
He picked up his youngest sons crown and sat on the iron throne. The red keep was utterly desserted. It would not be long now, he thought, he hoped that the three headed dragon would be satisfied that although the capital city was deserted. They would not allow him to live, the man who slew her father and ended the last Targaryen regime would have to die for them to establish their rule. “She won't get the kingslayer, only a lame lion” he mused outloud, “They’ll be dissapointed of course I do not fear death, I will not show any fear no matter what they have in store. Cersei is waiting for me.”

“I’m glad you think that” came a simpering voice, Lord Varys stepped out of the shadows, “I’m afraid Lord Jaime that you are going to die. Your far to detrimental to the regime I spent so long building to survive.”

Jaime glared and felt his temper rising, “I should have killed you the night my father died. ” He said.

“It wouldn’t have saved your father,” Varys said, “Lord Tywin was already dead before your brother gutted him, tears of Lys were already at work, Tyrion probably actually did your father a mercy.”

“What about Uncle Kevan?”

“He was also a casualty of my plan. You see Lord Jaime, Aerys needed to die, he was after all mad. Rhaegar however shouldn’t have died at the trident, he would have been the greatest king of them all.”

“But Lord Varys” Jaime said, “Rhaegar, however suited he was to kingship, doomed himself the moment he took Lyanna Stark. Nothing could save him from the wrath of Robert Baratheon for taking his betrothed. That is what Targaryens seem not to understand, that the dragon is as mortal as the stag. Even your precious little pawns will fail if they do not understand that they are not above their subjects.”

“I have crafted Aegon and Daenerys since birth and with Jon Blackfyre they will be the greatest kings and queens Westeros have ever had. Lord Stark did me such as favour insuring that Robert Baratheon never got his hands on the third head of the dragon. It is something of a pity that a bastard is the third head but Queen Daenerys legitimized her nephew the moment she decided that he wasn't a threat. ” Varys smiled simperingly, “They will be with us shortly. Any last words Lord Jaime, I’m afraid Prince Aegon is a little hot headed and I don’t believe that you’ll live much beyond their majesties realizing you are here.” Varys said

Jaime smiled bitterly, “Well Tyrion will finally outdo the rest of us. I assume that’s where you sent him? I saved his bloody life and he repaid me by killing father and dooming the rest of us” 

Varys smirked, “Lord Tyrion is sufficiently capable to run a country and I don't believe your inevitable execution will upset him too much. I believe he still rather upset about your role in the gang rape of his first wife.”

“He’s still my brother Lord Varys. Can he live with the fact that he has killed Myrcella and Tommen through his quest for power? I seem to remember Lord Varys that the last regime began with the death of children and look how it’s ended. I often wonder Lord Varys what would have happened if I hadn’t stood aside for Robert Baratheon and I had crowned myself instead. Father would have run the kingdom and I would have been able to be with Cersei.” Jaime looked down at the crown in his hands and lifted it to his head, placing gold on gold, “I can’t seal my fate any more can I? King Jaime the Kingslayer, first of his name, the last of the usurper kings. Will that do for a legacy Lord Spider?”

Varys bowed sardonically and said, “If you excuse me…your grace. I’m afraid a must attend to your successors.” 

"Lord Varys," Jaime called to hime, "Should Tyrion ever want to know, in a small cottage on the outskirts of crakehall he will find what he seeks" 

"How very touching. Please excuse me if I don't find that a pressing concern." 

Jaime watched him scurry away. He stood and walked into the Queen’s bedchamber and slowly carried his sister and youngest child into the throne room and wrapped Tommen in his Kingsguard cloak at the feet of the throne, the golden hair surrounded by purest white. He lifted Cersei’s beautiful still form and sat back on the iron throne with his sweet sister laid across his lap, his golden hand stroking her golden hair

He started to sing. The rains of Castamere echoed through the throne room and the Targaryen forces entered, Aegon and Daenerys quivering with fury at the sight pf Jaime sat with the crown on his head . Tyrion stumbled forward gaping at Jaime. “You fool!” Tyrion yelled, “What have you done!”

Jaime smiled sadly, “Who entered with Dragons little brother?”

“You killed them!”

“Only Cersei” he said gazing down at her beautiful dead face, “She killed Tommen, not wanting him to die the same way as Myrcella.” Jaime’s voice went as cold as steel, “Myrcella was a sweet girl, she didn't deserve to die like that. I would have never thought that you Tyrion out of all of us, would have allowed her to come to harm.”

The dragonqueen spoke, “You, the kingslayer speak of morality and honour?”

Jaime glared at her, she was not the gentle Queen Rhaella who he had so wanted to protect, nor the tragic Rhaegar or even sweet little Rhaenys, she was Aerys reborn, entirely madness and fire. “I speak of honour Daenerys Taragyen because I am fully aware of how it feels to lose honour in the eyes of every other person in the world because you saved their lives.” Aegon drew out his sword, “Swords don’t stop the truth boy, put it away before you hurt yourself. There was wildfire all over the city and the mad king was going to let the city burn and all the people in it to stop Robert Baratheon from claiming the city. I have been judged for sixteen years because I chose to protect the innocent rather than defend my king. I have been cursed from the wall to Pentos for making that decision but I do not regret it, I would kill your father a thousand times over.”

“Your lack of regret is irrelevant kingslayer” said Daenerys coldly, “You will die for it all the same. I only regret that the usurper and his pet wolf will not meet a similar fate.”

“Ned Stark wanted to kill me Lady Daenerys, he had a sufficient dislike that he would have preferred me dead or banished to the wall than a kingsguard and Robert Baratheon justified his war when Rhaegar kidnapped Lyanna Stark”

“You are not worthy to speak of Rhaegar” an older ginger man stepped forward.

“Lord Jon Connington.” Jaime smirked in recognition, “You’ve been miraclously resurected by Varys as well I see. Prince Rhaegar would have been an excellent King until he caused his own downfall by taking Lyanna Stark. You Lady Daenerys were also raped into existance. It’s quite interesting that it is apparently wrong to defend women from rape if they’re being raped by the King. I very nearly made a similar mistake with Robert, if it wasn’t for the fact that the moment Robert had finished sweating and spilling his seed all over my sister, she’d be in my rooms cuckholding her husband.” Jaime gazed in amusement at the crowd of figures stood behind the Dragon monarchs, “Ser Barristan, how lovely to see you, supporting Stannis didn’t work out I see? I do wonder if you can still judge me the worst thing that ever happened to kingsguard, considering how much your loyalty as changed of late? Would you support any man who wore a crown if it meant you had a sword in your hand. How many kings have you served now? The Selmy stalks of wheat really do blow in the wind. I challenge you for every comment I am fully aware that you have made about me but I’m very much afraid that the northmen ensured that holding a sword is a little more difficult for me these days. Still I like a challenge.” He raised his golden hand, “It’s a pity isn’t it,” He said, looking at his hero’s horrified face, “It bloody hurt when they hacked it off and my left hand just hasn’t been quite up to it. It’s strange- I lost the hand that killed Aerys, threw a seven year old out of a tower and used to make Cersei make the most interesting sounds. You and Stannis and poor old dead Ned were right though I was the worst thing that ever happened to the Kingsguard. My mere presence in it seems to have ensured that any amount of scum could join the kingsguard as long as Cersei was getting fucked by them or a member of their family.” He grinned at the scowling figures and continued smirking at them all when two grim sellswords lifted Cersei off his lap and placed her by Tommen’s side and then grabbed him under his arms and dragged him to the floor, allowing Daenerys to seat herself on the throne. Her voice rang through the room, “We will try him now, we cannot allow this man, this oathbreaker to live.”  
Her followers swarmed the throne room, surrounding him in their court. Daenerys' two nephews moved to stand at her side.  
"Jaime of house Lannister you are charged with regicide, murder, attempted murder, usurpation, treachery, incest and oathbreaking. How do you plead?" 

"Guilty but it was for the greater good, who did I murder? Very guilty but the boy was spying, what else was a meant to do, walk up to Ned Stark and say please arrest me? Merely keeping the throne warm for you, I''m very good at it, I kept it warm for Robert Baratheon as well. Treason is an interesting thing, it all depends on who wins. I believe the Targaryens wed brother to sister for a three hundred years, Cersei just never said yes to my proposals. Guilty but there are so many vows, I've sworn so many in my time, I simply selected which ones to follow, Ser Barristan chose if life over his loyalty to the Targaryens at the end of the battle of the tridant."

They conversed for less than a minute, the dark headed Prince seemed more reluctant than the others. Stupid boy, Jaime thought, doesn't he know I'm as doomed as poor dead Ned was the moment he went to my sister.

"Kingslayer we find you guilty." 

“Excellent,” Jaime said sardonically, “ How am I to die?”  
"You will face the champion of House Targaryen".  
Fantastic, Jaime thought, for fucks sake could she be more original than her father? He would be a real statement to the realm, the kingslayer, baked alive in his golden armour. He'd die screaming just as Rickard Stark had all those years ago. Still Brienne would survive and gods willing their child would be brought up knowing who it's father war, not the legend of the monstrous kingslayer. 

 

“Drag him out to the dragon pit.” Daenerys commanded

Jaime smiled bitterly as he was dragged past Tyrion, “Enjoy the rock little brother, I hope you can live with yourself."

He was dragged to the centre of the dragon pit and dressed in his golden armour he gazed bitterly at the crowd that had come swarming in, cheering the Queen and chanting Kingslayer. 

As the crowd quietened down Jaime took a step forward and opened his mouth, he had nothing left to loose and never was gifted with tact or for that matter cowardice, he would not beg or concern himself with what they thought of him now.  
“Your Grace” Jaime said sarcastically "People of Westeros it is an honour that so many of you find my mere existence so contemptible that you have all come here today to ensure that you never have to see my face again. Lady Daenerys I feel that I have to give you all a little history lesson, after all I’m certain that by this mummers farce you expect me, before I die, to confess everything and beg forgiveness. I will confess everything, and by that I mean everything. But I will not beg for forgiveness...why should I when there is nothing for anyone here to forgive me for.”  
The crowd were outraged, “Sisterfucker” and “Kingslayer” yelled from all corners of the arena, Daenerys raised a hand and the crowd fell silent once more, she was fuming, her violet eyes glaring at Jaime as though her gaze was capable of reducing him to ashes, “You declare that you have done nothing wrong? What sort of man are you who commits atrocities and declares no wrong doing?”. The crowd cheered in support  
Jaime continued as though there had been no interruption in a patronising voice, “There is nothing that I have done wrong to anyone here. Bran Stark is in Winterfell, as I see it the only action that I can be condemned for is shoving Lord Stark out of a tower window. I don’t regret that either as Robert Baratheon finding out would have meant five blonde heads on spikes and I was not prepared to allow a seven year old boy to condemn all those whom I loved to death. As it turns out of course , we were all screwed anyway. As for the charge of being a sisterfucker, I fully admit to loving my twin sister more than siblings are usually supposed to. And yet Lady Daenerys, I do recall the Targaryen line marring brother to sister for generations, your own father and mother were siblings and your consorts are your brother's sons. Would I not be condemned for my love if Cersei had agreed to marry me? I asked her many times, had she consented our children would not have been bastards. As for the charge of Kingslayer. I have been called that from the age of seventeen. None of you know what those days were like. Most of you are too young and Ser Barristan was several hundred miles away at the trident during those last days. I remember Brandon Stark storming in demanding his sister back and then screaming as his father was roasted alive, his screams gradually cut off by the rope around his neck. I remember you mother, Lady Daenerys, screaming as your father raped you into this world. More importantly Lady Daenerys I remember series of hands who came and went, the smell of Qarlton Chelsted as he was burned alive for refusing your fathers demands. I remember running my sword through Rossart and then finally your father, the mad king to stop him from setting Kingslanding on fire to ensure he had the world largest funeral pyre.”  
Daenerys was white with anger and Aegon and Jon were holding her hands in an attempt to calm her down. Ser Barristan was staring at Jaime with a look of shock and faint respect. The crowd was silent.  
“I killed him, to save the lives of every single one of you fuckers who he would have killed to spite Robert Baratheon. I did what I had to. You didn’t have to kill my children, any of you, I fully admit Joffrey was a little shit but Myrcella was a sweet little girl and you killed her. The last regime was doomed because it started with the death of innocents. What does that make you all? No better than Robert Baratheon? You always aspired to make father proud Tyrion, here you are, no fucking better than he was, handing over children's corpses as a gift to the new regime. I hope Tyrion that you see my children’s faces in your dreams every night, as I have seen Rhaegar cursing me for allowing Rhaenys and Elia to die. I hope that you all know that this regime will come to an end just as the last one did because it to is built on cruelty and brutal murder of innocent children.”  
He reached the edge of the dragon pit and turned back towards the crowd and yelled in one last act of defiance, “ I will die as your father put Rickard Stark to death. I die the death of a man far more honourable than me and the mad kings children will not take my name from me. I am Jaime Lannister, I am the Kingslayer!”  
He took a deep breath and stepped towards the dragons, how is that for a legacy? My unborn child will continue the family name. A Lannister always pays their debts. As he stepped into a path of flame he thought Here me roar. And then Jaime screamed.


End file.
